Our skin goes through a lot of damage as students as we’re all guilty of skimping on the sunscreen, not drinking enough water and avoiding essential vitamins in our budget diets… not to mention the stress we put ourselves through for coursework deadlines, exams and finding the perfect balance between sleep and Ocean Fridays. Luckily, there are some great skincare products out there that can revive our abused faces leaving us looking just that extra bit radiant for our 9ams and I’ve comprised a list of my favourites to purify, polish and pamper your skin to perfection! (And I promise to tone down the alliteration.)
Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clarifying Lotion; £17 at Boots.
This clarifying lotion is part of Clinique’s 3-Step Anti-Blemish Solutions range and, though all of the products in the collection are brilliant, it is by far the star of the show. I’m nearly obsessed enough with this exfoliator to stop people on the streets and tell them they urgently need to buy it…
It boasts all the usual malarkey such as “gentle exfoliation”, “reducing oil and eliminating shine” and “soothing irritation/redness”. However, I can assure you this product actually does all of these things. You pop a bit onto a cotton ball and wipe it over your skin to remove all of the dirt and makeup that you miss when you wash your face. Your blemishes literally disappear after a week. It is a bit of a splurge for us students but it’s long lasting and the benefits make it well worth your pennies.
St. Ives Blemish Fighting Apricot Facial Scrub; £3.99 at Tesco.
This is the definition of a high end product at a budget price. The scrub effectively lifts away dead skin and is especially great for blackheads with 100% natural ingredients and Salicylic Acid to clear away blemishes (plus it smells like apricots… yum). It’s great to use twice a week in the shower when your face is nice and steamy and your pores are absolutely raving to be unclogged. Right up there with chocolate on the list of best things to ever come out of Switzerland.
L’Orèal Paris Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution; £4.99 at Boots.
One of the greatest skincare sins …which we are all aware and guilty of… is going to sleep without removing your makeup *cue screams of horror*. But unbeknownst to L’Oreal they have made a hypoallergenic product that’s ideal for post-night out laziness. The cleanser dissolves makeup, unclogs pores and most importantly doesn’t require you to use a sink! You simply apply it using a cotton ball and it’s much more effective than facial wipes.
LUSH Sweet Lips Lip Scrub; £5.50 at LUSH.
I’m a massive fan of LUSH products and the ethos of the company. This chocolate-y lip scrub is a favourite and not just because it’s edible (…but mainly because it’s edible). It contains all natural ingredients such as sugar, organic jojoba oil, vanilla extract and cocoa absolute. You scrub your lips to pouty perfection and simply lick the scrub away! And you can use the ingredients as inspiration to make your own if you want to avoid the splurge.
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion +; From £17 at Boots.
If you’re looking for the best moisturiser in the world, this is it. The multiple awards this product has won really do speak for themselves and 99% of users would recommend it. It’s oil-free, lightweight and hydrating and also creates the perfect base for makeup in the morning. And most importantly your skin does indeed improve dramatically via the abundance of skin-restoring ingredients such as mineral oil, cucumber extract and sunflower seed cake.
The Body Shop Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream; £11 at The Body Shop.
Although specifically using a night cream makes me feel like I’m 50, the benefits of the richer formula are vast as your skin is most receptive to hydration when you’re asleep. Vitamin E is both an antioxidant that protects your skin from environmental pollution and a great skin-conditioner which means this moisturiser is a true treat. I’ve definitely been much happier with the softness and general state of my face in the morning since using this product.
Some other favourites to consider:
Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Moisturiser; £4.27 at Boots.
Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm; £3.69 at Boots.
Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Cream Wash; £4.49 at Boots.